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When the Columbus Blue Jackets traded Patrik Laine to the Montreal Canadiens on August 19th, it ended a tumultuous relationship between the team and the player. When the Blue Jackets’ new GM and president of hockey operations, Don Waddell, was hired by Columbus in late May, it was clear sorting out Laine’s situation was a top priority.
Waddell refused to speculate on Laine’s future until he could speak to him. Laine had spent months in the NHLPA Player Assistance Program, and had made it known he felt he needed a “fresh start” before entering the program. His mind was already made up when Waddell took over, and the experienced GM was able to send Laine along with a second-round pick to Montreal for defenceman Jordan Harris.
The Habs’ final game before the NHL’s holiday break also served as Laine’s first game in Columbus since the trade. Truthfully, I didn’t expect much beyond the ordinary from the parties involved. I suppose I anticipated the standard cliches from both sides. Canned statements like “I enjoyed my time here,” and “We respect Patrik’s decision and wish him the best,” etc.
That is not what transpired.
Laine’s comments on Columbus
Laine pulled no punches when speaking to the media following the Habs’ morning skate. This is what Laine had to say when speaking to the Athletic’s Blue Jackets beat writer Aaron Portzline:
“I feel like we were just doing the same thing year after year. I was tired of losing and just giving up when it’s December to start focusing on next year. I’m not going to do that. That’s frustrating as a player when you’re trying to win and some people are, you know, not like that.”
Those are harsh criticisms, to be sure. A denunciation of the Blue Jackets’ organization that did not sit well with some players. In particular, defenceman Zach Werenski denounced Laine’s comments as invalid and false. Werenski added, “We were nothing but good teammates to him… for him to bash us like that, I think it’s unacceptable,” and “none of us in this room are happy about it. That speaks more about him than it does us.”
What transpired on the ice
By the time the puck dropped on Monday night, Laine’s earlier comments were well-known amongst fans of both teams. The implications of Patrik’s blunt words were felt on the ice.
The Columbus home crowd expressed their displeasure, loudly booing Laine when he touched the puck. Blue Jackets players expressed their displeasure with several instances of hard hits and checks on Laine.
Laine did not return to the game following the first period. It was believed he may have reaggravated his previously injured shoulder. The Blue Jackets won the game in overtime with a score of 5-4.
Fortunately for the Canadiens, Laine was a full participant in Friday’s practice and played in Saturday’s 4-0 win over the reigning Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers.
The apparent non-injury, coupled with Monday’s events, has resulted in much speculation. The two emerging questions were:
- Were Blue Jackets players targeting Laine’s shoulder?
- Was Laine actually injured or did the Habs pull him out of concern for his well-being?
It’s difficult to say one way or the other if Laine’s shoulder was being targeted. However, it would be fair to conclude that Columbus at least wanted Laine to be aware of their displeasure with his comments. A particularly strong hit by Dmitri Voronkov seemed to be followed by strong words in Laine’s direction.
It is also hard to say if Laine had a legitimate injury during the game. Was his early exit a result of a hit, or did the team make a judgment call to preserve his long-term health? Either way, it doesn’t matter much, and I don’t want to speculate.
Who was in the wrong here?
I want to be as unbiased as possible, and I may have a unique perspective on this issue amongst the HabsWorld staff. I have spent most of my life in Ohio, growing up about an hour’s drive from Columbus. The Blue Jackets are Ohio’s only NHL team, and many would say, the team I should support as a local. Yet, I’m a Habs supporter.
I can’t blame it on the fact that Ohio had no franchise before 2000. My hockey fandom didn’t take off until the early 2010s, long after the Blue Jackets were established. However, the Blue Jackets never appealed to me in my quest to choose a team to support.
Why is that? Well, regardless of whether it is true or not, the franchise has developed a reputation for being a perennial loser. A common joke about the team is that the rest of the league often forgets they exist. They’ve won just two playoff series in their history.
Living in close proximity to Columbus and their fan base, I have had my fair share of discussions about the team with fellow hockey enthusiasts. Here is what I’ll say about Laine’s words. While they came off as harsh, his criticism of the franchise should not have been the shocking revelation some made them out to be.
Laine’s views on the culture in Columbus have been said before. In fact, when Don Waddell took over, he levied a similar condemnation. “The one thing is, I’m not saying it was everybody, but losing was acceptable [here] and losing is not acceptable,” Waddell told NHL Network radio in August.
To me, those words sound incredibly similar to Laine’s recent remarks. Blue Jackets players have the right to be upset for being called out, but should they be surprised? Probably not. Sometimes, athletes might feel they must stand against a slight towards their reputation or teammates, which is probably what Monday amounted to.
The two teams do not face each other again this season, so no further drama will likely play out. By the time next season rolls around, I imagine the tension will have mostly subsided, but who knows? Columbus has already had to face this season after the tragic passing of Johnny Gaudreau, which may have also contributed to the players taking offence to Laine’s views.
In the end, hockey is hockey. It is a tough, physical sport. It’s hard to say any of the hits Columbus players laid on Laine looked overly dangerous or malicious. They looked like clean hockey plays. at the same time, if Montreal did decide to pull Laine out of the game to avoid risking an injury, they have the right to do so.
Laine has been lights out for the Habs thus far since returning from a lower-body injury. I hope Montreal becomes his long-term home, where he morphs into his full potential.
